Jul262013

Washington—Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, today released the following statement on Guantanamo Bay:

“I support today’s announcement that the White House intends to repatriate two detainees from the Guantanamo Bay military detention facility to Algeria. These two detainees were cleared for transfer years ago.

“This is an important step toward closing the prison once and for all. At a cost of $454 million annually—or $2.7 million per detainee—it is in the national security interests of the United States to transfer these detainees to their home countries rather than keep them at our isolated military base in Cuba.

“I renew my call to send the other 84 detainees cleared for transfer out of Guantanamo. These transfers have been impeded by congressional action, and I strongly support the provisions in this year’s defense authorization bill, as approved by the Senate Armed Services Committee, that will provide more flexibility to the commander-in-chief.”